The present invention relates to ferrite load devices, and more particularly, to honeycomb cross-polarized loads for use in tapered notch phased array antennas.
The present approach of the assignee of the present invention to active phased array antenna technology employs the use of tapered notch radiators. Currently, a tapered ferrite load is used to absorb a cross-polarized field incident on the tapered notch radiators. Such conventional ferrite loads have been employed in trough regions between linear arrays of the tapered radiators that make up a phase array antenna, but it has been found that these components are relatively heavy due to their relatively high density.
It would therefore be an improvement in the art to have a component that is capable of absorbing the cross-polarized field incident on tapered notch radiators of a tapered notch phased array antenna that provides the same or improved performance when compared to conventional ferrite loads, but which reduces the weight and cost of the load.